Sunday, August 2, 2015

I’ve always said “You can’t go wrong with a Honda.”Not very American, I know, when you consider the worthwhile Fords and Chevys out there, but my experience through several Hondas over the years is that they work their ass off for you and give you very little trouble.

However, my internal jury is still out on the Puyo, the hydrogen concept car premiering at the Tokyo Motor Show at the end of the month. Juiced by hydrogen fuel cell technology, the Puyo takes efficiency to new levels while displaying an aesthetically ambiguous shape that looks neither hard nor soft, and both box-like and rounded. It’s certainly odd looking. But I thought my CR-V was odd when I got it. (Is it a station wagon? Is it a minivan? Is it an SUV? It was all of those and more. And it was a great care.)

But the funky thing about the Puyo is, it actually is soft. Honda calls it their “gel body” – it’s designed for safety in the event of a collision. And it also glows in the dark, which may help cut down on collisions. Certainly no one in their right mind would aim their vehicle directly at a glowing car.

“’PUYO’ is a Japanese onomatopoeia that expresses the sensation of touching the vehicle’s soft body. It is meant to convey a warm, friendly impression.

“The PUYO represents a new idea in mobility that brings together ‘clean’, ‘safe’ and ‘fun’ functionality in an environmentally responsible, people-friendly minimalist design featuring an ultra-high efficiency, small frame and fuel cell technology to please both users and onlookers alike.”

Sounds good. If it ever makes it to the dealership, I will definitely check it out.